Zigzag sewing machine with a manually operable device for the making of buttonholes



Nov. 2, 1965 1.. BONO 3,215,

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE WITH A MANUALLY OPERABLE DEVICE FOR THE MAKING OF BUTTONHOLES Filed Sept. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR Luz 'ga' 50/20 %mfimm m ATTORNEYS Nov. 2, 1965 ONO 3,215,104

' L. B ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE WITH A MANUALLY OPERABLE DEVICE FOR THE MAKING OF BUTTONHOLES Filed Sept. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [NVENTOR Luqr B0220 kmy w m ORNEYJ United States Patent ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE WITH A MANUALLY OPERABLE DEVICE FOR THE MAKING OF BU'ITONHOLES Luigi Bono, Pavia, Italy, assignor to Necchi Societa per Azioui, Pavia, Italy Filed Sept. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 222,301 Claims priority, application Italy, Jan. 3, 1962, Patent 672,953 5 Claims. (Cl. 112-158) This invention relates in general to zigzag sewing machines, and more particularly to improvements in Zigzag sewing machines in the form of a manually operable device for making buttonholes.

There are well-known zigzag sewing machines in which the lateral displacement of the sewing line, the variations in the amplitude of the zigzag, and the variations in the transport of the fabric can be controlled not only by suitable separately manually controllable controls, but also by means of a group of cams which control the production of the buttonhole by acting on feelers of the machine and being displaceable by hand into a plurality of predetermined positions.

In some of the existing sewing machines, the group of cams controlling the making of buttonholes can be removed from the frame of the machine so that the sewing operations of the machine can be influenced solely by the separately manually controllable controls of the machine. In other machines, the group of cams is, however, totally mounted within the frame and can be rotated by hand into a rest position in which the cams do not influence the sewing of the sewing machine, with the sewing of the sewing machine then de pending solely on the position of the separately manually controllable controls of the sewing machine.

The sewing machines of the first mentioned type have the disadvantage that there must be provided an opening for the introduction of the cams and a lever which permits the removal of the cams by controlling the disengagement of the associated feelers from the cams.

The sewing machines of the second type have the undesirable disadvantage in that there is required on the outside of the frame of the sewing machine a drive lever for the cam groups which detracts from the appearance of the sewing machine, which makes the operation of the other controls of the sewing machine more difficult, and which may give rise to wrong operations of the sewing machine.

In view of the foregoing, it is the primary object of this invention to eliminate the disadvantages of both of the above-mentioned types of sewing machine in an extremely simple manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel buttonhole attachment for existing types of zigzag sewing machines wherein the sewing machine is provided with a permanent group of buttonhole sewing controlling cams and the disadvantages of existing zigzag sewing machines having such a permanent group of cams are eliminated by providing the group of cams with a removable control lever so as not to detract from the appearance of a sewing machine so equipped.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel zigzag sewing machine having a permanent group of cams for effecting the automatic sewing of buttonholes, the cams being provided with a handle or control knob for setting the positions thereof, the group of cams having aligned ineffective positions and there being provided means for permitting the removal of the control knob only when the cams are in their ineffective positions whereby the cams must be returned to their ineffective positions before the handle can be removed thereby eliminating any possibility of the cams being set in improper positions when normal sewing with the zigzag sewing machine is desired. v

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a Zigzag sewing machine formed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the buttonhole attachment of the sewing machine, and shows the specific relationship thereof with respect to controls of a conventional zigzag sewing machine.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the attachment of FIG- URE 2 and shows the general relationship thereof with respect to the frame of the sewing machine, the handle for the buttonhole attachment being shown in a detached position.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3, and shows the specific means for retaining the cam group in a last set position.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line VV of FIGURE 3, and shows the specific relationship of the control handle, the cam group shaft and the frame of the sewing machine, which permits removal of the control handle only when the cam group is set in the ineffective position thereof.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of the control handle and shows the specific details thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIGURE 1, wherein there is illustrated a sewing machine formed in accordance with this invention. The sewing machine illustrated in the drawings, with the exception of the buttonhole control, which is the subject of this invention, is a known type of sewing machine. The sewing machine includes a frame 1 which has mounted on the exterior thereof a lever 12 for controlling the lateral displacement of the sewing line of the sewing machine, a lever 13 for controlling the variations in amplitude of the zigzag of the stitching, and knobs 14 and 14a for controlling the variations in feed of the fabric of the sewing machine. These controls are parts of the known sewing machine and will not be de scribed in more detail here.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 2 through 6, wherein there are shown the details of the buttonhole attachment which is the subject of this invention. The buttonhole attachment includes a plate which is suitably mounted in a fixed position within the interior of the sewing machine and the outline of which is best shown in FIGURE 3. The plate 100 is provide with a pair of integral depending supports 101 and 102 in which a shaft 103 is journaled. The shaft 103 has mounted on the end thereof adjacent the support 101 a group of cams which include cams 104, 105 and 106. The opposite end of the shaft 103, that is, the end which projects beyond the support 102, is provided with an axial bore 107 and a radial groove 108. This end of the shaft 103 is aligned with and disposed closely adjacent a hole 109 in the frame 1.

The plate 100 is provided with a pair of depending supports 113 and 114 which are offset from the supports 101 and 102 and which carry a pin 112 which is disposed parallel to the shaft 103. The pin 112 has freely journaled thereon a feeler 111 which is engaged with the cam 106. An arm 115 is connected to the feeler 111. The arm 115 extends upwardly from the pivot pin 112 and has disposed adjacent the same lever 116 which is also pivoted on the pin 112. The upper portion of the lever 116 is secured to the arm 115 by a screw 117 which passes through an opening 118 of the arm 115. The lever 116 has an end 119,-as is best shown in FIGURE 2, which in the operative position of the cam 106 acts on the device controlling the lateral displacement of the sewing line of the sewing machine. In the illustrated sewing machine, the known zigzag control features thereof include a pin 20a which is displaceable to control the lateral displacements of the sewing line of the sewing machine and which is urged in the direction of the arrow x by elastic means (not shown). The end 119 of the lever 116 presses against the pin 20a and restrains the pin 20a against movement to the left in the direction of the arrow x.

The plate 100 also includes a pair of upstanding supports 122 and 123 in which there is mounted a pin 121 which is disposed parallel to the shaft 103 and the pin 112. A feeler 120 is rigidly connected to the pin 121 and is engaged with the cam 105. A lever 124 is provided with a connector 125 mounted on the pin 121 for rotation therewith, the connector 125 being tightened on the pin 121 and being retained in an adjusted position thereon by means of a screw 126. The lever 124, in an operative position of the cam 105, acts on the device of the sewing machine which controls the adjustment of the amplitude of the zigzag thereof. In the illustrated known sewing machine, the lever 124 acts upon the pin 33a of the known sewing machine and against the action of elastic means (not shown) which urge the pin 33a in the direction indicated by the arrow y.

A feeler 127 is also pivoted on the pin 112 and is engaged by the cam 104. The feeler 127 has an arm 128 which in accordance with this invention acts on a device controlling the variations in the feed of the fabric by the sewing machine. In the known sewing machine, the arm 128 would act upon a pin 40b through a tie rod 129 which has a hook 130 which hooks about the pin 40b. In the known sewing machine, the pin 40b is normally pushed downward in the direction of the arrow 2 by elastic means (not shown) and the arm 128 restricts the downward movement of the pin 40b.

The cams 104, 105 and 106 are rigidly connected and are integral with a toothed disc 131 with which there is engaged a tooth 132 of an elastic blade 133. The elastic blade 133 is fastened to the plate 100 by means of a screw 134 passing through an opening 135 in the elastic blade 133.

The toothed disc 131 includes a first set of hollows or notches 136 which define various angular positions of the cams 104, 105 and 106 into which these cams may be successively rotated by hand in order to make a buttonhole. The toothed disc 131 is also provided with a second set of hollows or notches 137 which define similar angular positions in which there is produced a buttonhole with the customary lateral bar tacks thereof having different amplitude of zigzag.

The toothed disc 131 is also provided with a hollow or notch 138 which conforms to a position of the cams 104, 105 and 106 wherein the profiles of the cams are such so as to exclude any action of the levers 116 and 124, and the arm 128 on the pins 20a, 33a and 40b, respectively, so that the lateral displacement of the sewing line, the variation in amplitude of the zigzag, and the adjustment of the feed of the fabric are controlled solely by the lever 12, by the lever 13 and by the knobs 14 and 14a inthe conventional manner found in the known sewing machine.

The rotation of the cams 104, 105 and 106 from one position to another is accomplished by means of a handle or control knob 139. The handle 139 includes an elongated pin 140' having a plug 141 extending radially therefrom. The pin 140 is adapted to be received in the bore 107 and the radial plug 141 is adapted to be received in the. radial groove, 108 of the shaft 103.

It is to be noted that when the cams 104, and 106 are in the position defined by the hollow or notch 138, the radial groove 108 of the shaft 103 is aligned with a groove 142 of the hole 109 in the frame 1 so that the handle 139 can be removed with the plug 141 passing through the groove 142. On the other hand, when the annular position of the cam group and the shaft 103 is other than that position wherein the notch 138 receives the tooth 132, the plug 141 will engage behind the frame 1 and removal of the handle 139 is prevented. Thus, when the handle 139 is removed from the machine, the cams 104, 105 and 106 are definitely in positions so as not to influence the normal sewing with the sewing machine. Further, the known sewing machine has the external appearance thereof varied only by the provision of the small hole 109 which does not materially detract from the appearance of the sewing machine.

In order to facilitate the positioning of the cam groups by means of the handle 139, the handle 139 is provided With a zero reference mark 143 indicating the angular position into which it must be rotated in order to remove or position the same, The handle 139 is also provided with two sectors 144 and 145 which are graduated so as to indicate the successive positions into which the handle 139 must be rotated in order to obtain the production of a selected one of the two types of buttonholes.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the invention within the scope and spirit thereof, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A zigzag sewing machine having a buttonhole attachment for selectively controlling operating elements of the sewing machine, said attachment comprising a plurality of manually rotatable cams, feelers engaged with said cams, and levers connected to said feelers for movement thereby and for effecting the required control on the sewing machine operating elements to effect the sewing of buttonholes, said cams having aligned portions when engaged by said feelers rendering said levers ineffective to control the sewing machine operating elements and permitting the normal control thereof by other control means of the sewing machine, said attachment including a handle for controlling the position of said cams, said handle being removable whereby the appearance of the sewing machine is not detracted from .by the addition of said attachment, and means releasably interconnecting said handle and said cams for allowing removal of said handle from said cams only when said cams are in their ineffective position.

2. The sewing machine of claim 1 wherein said cams include a cam for controlling the lateral displacement of the sewing line and a cam for controlling the feed of the fabric.

3. The sewing machine of claim 1 wherein said cams include a cam for controlling the lateral displacement of the sewing line, a cam for controlling the feed of the fabric, and a cam for controlling the amplitude of the zigzag.

4. The sewing machine of claim 1 wherein said cams include a cam for controlling the lateral displacement of the sewing line, a cam for controlling the feed of the fabric, and a cam for controlling the amplitude of the zigzag, said cams have two sets of positions to provide for two different types of buttonholes.

5. A zigzag sewing machine having a buttonhole attachment for selectively controlling operating elements of the sewing machine, said attachment comprising a plurality of manually rotatable cams, feelers engaged with said cams, and levers connected to said feelers for movement thereby and for effecting the required control on the sewing machine operating elements to effect the sewing of buttonholes, said cams having aligned portions when engaged by said feelers rendering said levers ineffective 5 6 to control the sewing machine operating elements and per- 3,126,849 3/ 64 Giesselmann et a1. 112-158 mitting the normal control thereof by other control means 3,130,697 4/64 Meier 112-458 of the sewing machine, said attachment including a handle for controlling the position of said cams, said handle FOREIGN PATENTS being removable whereby the appearance of the sewing 5 837,788 6/60 Great Britain machine is not detracted from by the addition of said at- 1 564,305 6/57 Ita1y tac'hment, means releasably interconnecting said handle 580,604 8/58 Italy and said cams for allowing removal of said handle from 3741589 8/62 Japan said cams only When said cams are in their inefiective position, and means for retaining said cams in a last 10 OTHER REFERENCES placed position. Meier German application, 1,114,689, published Oct. 5,

1961 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 2,939,413 6/60 Rutishauser 112-158 15 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner. 

1. A ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE HAVING A BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING OPERATING ELEMENTS OF THE SEWING MACHINE, SAID ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MANUALLY ROTATABLE CAMS, FEELERS ENGAGED WITH SAID CAMS, AND LEVERS CONNECTED TO SAID FEELERS FOR MOVEMENT THEREBY AND FOR EFFECTING THE REQUIRED CONTROL ON THE SEWING MACHINE OPERATING ELEMENTS TO EFFECT THE SEWING OF BUTTONHOLES, SAID CAMS HAVING ALIGNED PORTIONS WHEN ENGAGED BY SAID FEELERS RENDERING SAID LEVERS INEFFECTIVE TO CONTROL THE SEWING MACHINE OPERATING ELEMENTS AND PERMITTING THE NORMAL CONTROL THEREOF BY OTHER CONTROL MEANS OF THE SEWING MACHINE, SAID ATTACHMENT INCLUDING A HANDLE FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITION OF SAID CAMS, SAID HANDLE BEING REMOVABLE WHEREBY THE APPEARANCE OF THE SEWING MACHINE IS NOT DETRACTED FROM BY THE ADDITION OF SAID ATTACHMENT, SAND MEANS RELEASABLY INTERCONNECTING SAID HANDLE AND SAID CAMS FOR ALLOWING REMOVAL OF SAID HANDLE FROM SAID CAMS ONLY WHEN SAID CAMS ARE IN THEIR INEFFECTIVE POSITION. 